Plot Summary
What is the name Gogol legally changes his name to?
Nikhil, or his nickname Nick
How does Ashima begin to build her independence while Ashoke is away?
She takes a part-time job at the library and manages the household on her own.
What is the difference between a theme and a moral in literature?
A moral teaches a clear lesson about right or wrong, while a theme is a broader message or idea that reflects on life or society.
What literary device is used when the narrator says Ashoke has “expired,” the same word used for library cards?
Irony and metaphor – comparing a human life to an expiring library card to death.
What does Ashoke’s vague mention of feeling unwell foreshadow?
His sudden death from a heart attack.
What major life event causes Gogol to finally learn the true story behind his name?
His father, Ashoke, tells him the story of the train accident that nearly killed him.
What is the significance of Gogol’s feelings of guilt after his father’s death?
It reveals his emotional disconnect from his heritage and family, and prompts a desire to reconnect with his roots.
How does the theme of insensitivity to others’ struggles affect Gogol’s relationship with Maxine?
It leads to emotional distance, as Maxine’s lack of empathy makes Gogol feel misunderstood and disconnected from his identity and values.
What symbolic meaning is behind Gogol’s scratched-up studio entrance and its location?
It symbolizes Gogol’s current identity crisis in which he is stuck between 2 cultures. (in between hair salon and news stand)
How does Gogol’s choice to vacation with Maxine’s family over seeing his own hint at future regret?
It foreshadows the guilt and emotional pain he will feel after his father’s unexpected death.
Where does Ashoke move for his research grant, and how often does he visit Ashima?
Cleveland; he visits Ashima every three weeks.
Why does Gogol begin to distance himself from Maxine after his father's passing?
He feels that she and her family cannot truly understand the depth of his grief or his cultural obligations.
Why is it important to prioritize time with your parents and culture? Reference Gogol in your answer.
Strengthens the emotional bond and creates a larger sense of belonging.
Analyze the metaphor: “One hand, five homes. A lifetime in a fist.” What is the brief significance of the fist?
Ashima’s life split in a simple gesture, all held tightly in her memory and experience.
What early signs in Maxine’s behavior suggest she may not truly understand Gogol’s identity or grief?
She dismisses cultural conversations, doesn't attend his father’s funeral, and quickly wants things to return to normal.
Why does Gogol prefer New York City over Boston, despite his parents’ disapproval?
He feels a greater sense of freedom and identity in New York, where he can live independently and explore his interests.
How does Ashima’s part-time library job reflect a shift in her identity?
It shows her growing independence and willingness to adapt to life in America after years of isolation.
Why was it so easy for Gogol to take his family for granted? What did this cause?
Grew up in a world where he constantly feels divided, he distanced himself emotionally, simple for him to ignore the emotional needs of his own family and adapt to the ease and freedom of western culture.
What was the significance of his contributions being "incidental"?
The word "incidental" downplays the importance of his work, where his contributions are essential to larger structures, creating an ironic effect.
How does the tension between Gogol and his parents over MIT foreshadow deeper conflicts in values?
Ongoing struggles between Gogol’s desire for being free and his parents’ hopes for familial obligation, better life.
What emotionally significant event occurs while Gogol is staying with Maxine’s family in New Hampshire?
He learns of his father’s sudden death from a heart attack.
Explain how Gogol’s relationship with Maxine reveals his internal conflict with cultural identity.
Maxine represents the assimilation Gogol has wanted, but after his father’s death, he realizes that detaching from his Bengali roots leaves him emotionally misunderstood.
How did both Ashima and Gogol reflect the overall theme of growth through fighting inaction?
Ashima finds independence after being alone, and Gogol matures through grief by taking responsibility and reconnecting with his roots.
What did each of the fingers in “One hand, five homes. A lifetime in a fist.” represent? Mention the 5 places Ashima described in order.
Represented the five most meaningful places in her life.
1 - Parents flat in Calcutta
2 - In-law's house
3 - Apartment under the Montgomerys, Cambridge
4 - Faculty apartment on Campus
5 - Pemberton Road, Boston
Gogol is aware that he’s never mentioned Maxine to his parents. How does this foreshadow the disconnect between his relationship with Maxine and his deeper cultural and familial values?
Gogol not mentioning Maxine to his parents foreshadows that their relationship lacks depth and won't last due to cultural disconnect and misunderstanding.